Turbo (South Korean band)
{{short description|South Korean boy band}}
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{{more citations needed|date=July 2021}}
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{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Turbo
| image = Turbo (South Korean band) members.jpg
| caption = From left: Kim Jung-nam, Kim Jong-kook, Mikey, KCON LA 2016.
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| alias =
| origin = Seoul, South Korea
| instrument =
| genre = {{hlist|K-pop|dance|hip hop}}
| occupation =
| years_active = {{hlist|1995–2001|2015–2017}}
| label = GM Agency (1995–2001)
The Turbo Co. (2015–present)
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members = {{interlanguage link|Kim Jung-nam (singer)|ko|김정남 (가수)}}
Kim Jong-kook
Mikey
}}
Turbo ({{langx|ko|터보}}) was a South Korean dance-oriented group, mostly popular during the late 1990s to early 2000s. The group was originally a duo consisting of Kim Jong-kook and Kim Jung-nam. In early 1997, Kim Jung-nam left the group and Kim Jong-kook later continued promotion with new member Mikey. They became one of the biggest stars in the Korean entertainment industry during their active time between 1995 and 2001 and sold millions of albums and records across Asia. In 2015, they made a comeback as a trio after 15 years with "Again".{{Cite web|title=Turbo returns after 15 years as trio, tops charts|url=http://m.koreaherald.com/amp/view.php?ud=20151222000113|access-date=2021-09-27|website=m.koreaherald.com}}
Career
= 1995–1996: Formation and early years =
Prior to Turbo's formation, Kim Jung-nam was a DJ while Kim Jong-kook was the vocalist for a high school band. With Jung-nam taking up rap and choreography and Jong-kook in charge of vocals, the group released their first album, 280 km/h Speed, in August 1995. The album sold over 300,000 copies by December of that year.{{Cite web |date=1995-12-09 |title=신인 댄스듀오「터보」 가창력 겸비한「파워댄스」그룹 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1995120900239122006&editNo=1&printCount=1&publishDate=1995-12-09&officeId=00023&pageNo=22&printNo=23223&publishType=00010# |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=NAVER Newslibrary}}
Just a year after their debut, Turbo returned with their second album, New Sensation. The album sold 800,000 copies within the first two months. After "Twist King" Turbo performed "Love Is...(3+3=0)" and "어느 재즈 바... (At the Jazz Bar...)". However, during the album's promotions, their company's CEO was revealed to have assaulted its singers and stolen hundreds of millions of won in profits, and Turbo went into seclusion.{{Cite web |date=1996-11-29 |title=가요계 非理도 전면수사-매니저社 대표 수배 |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/3360863 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=중앙일보 |language=ko}} Kim Jung-nam, unable to reconcile his differences with the management, left the group, leaving Kim Jong Kook looking for a new partner.{{Cite web |last=김대령 |title=[20년 전 오늘] 김종국, 가요-예능 모두 평정한 터보 엔진 |url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/468/0000295190 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=n.news.naver.com |language=ko}}
= 1997–2001: Addition of Mikey and disbandment =
Auditioning against 3,500 other hopefuls, California resident Mikey was the one to become part of Turbo.{{Cite web|last=엔터팀|title=터보 두 번째 멤버 마이키는 누구？|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/144/0000294520|access-date=2021-10-15|website=n.news.naver.com|language=ko}} With his addition, Turbo returned in October 1997 with their 3rd album, Born Again.... During this time, Turbo sang with American singer and movie star Will Smith for the Korean version of his fourth single "Just the Two of Us".{{Cite web |date=1998-06-22 |title=미국 음반사,우리가수와 '밀월' |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/3662645 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=중앙일보 |language=ko}}
In September 1998, while preparing for their 4th album, Kim Jong-kook injured his hip, hampering the album's release.{{Cite web|date=1998-09-22|title=댄스가수는 '춤기계'인가…무리한 연습 부상 속출|url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/3702423|access-date=2021-10-15|website=중앙일보|language=ko}} After a month-long rest, Kim returned to activities, and the album, entitled Perfect Love, was eventually released in October 1998.{{Cite web |date=1998-10-15 |title=만성 디스크 딛고 활동재개 '터보' 김종국 |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/3711527 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=중앙일보 |language=ko}}
On December 30, 1998, Turbo was invited to participate in the Asia Superconcert to represent South Korea. This concert featured singers from all over Asia including Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan and was to broadcast live to South Korea, China and Japan. Kim Jong-kook received criticism for his lack of effort while lip-syncing and leaving without bowing during Turbo's performance. Due to this incident, Kim Jong-kook and Turbo's company were strictly warned and put under strong sanctions.{{Cite web |date=1999-01-22 |title=터보 김종국 불성실 무대매너 제재 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1999012200329129005&editNo=40&printCount=1&publishDate=1999-01-22&officeId=00032&pageNo=29&printNo=16651&publishType=00010 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=NAVER Newslibrary |language=ko}} The ban was lifted in October 1999, and 4 months later in 2000, Turbo returned with their 5th album Email My Heart.{{Cite web|date=2002-02-25|title=댄스듀오 터보, 5집 들고 컴백!|url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/545835|access-date=2021-10-15|website=중앙일보|language=ko}}
On April 7, 2001, Turbo's agency Star Music announced that Kim Jong-kook had left the company due to contract expiration.{{Cite web |date=2004-04-07 |title=## [중요공지] 터보 '김종국' 스타뮤직을 떠나고.. ## |url=http://www.starkorea.co.kr/noboard/content.asp?idx=14&page=1&t_name=starmusicnews |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010417094325/http://www.starkorea.co.kr/noboard/content.asp?idx=14&page=1&t_name=starmusicnews |archive-date=2001-04-17 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=스타뮤직 |language=ko}} To end their career, Turbo released one last album titled "History" revisiting all their hit songs from previous albums and including 3 new songs. A music video for "History" was also released, featuring transgender model and singer Harisu.File:Turbo - 20160731-P1010006 (29049672125).jpg, July 30.]]
=Reunion=
Prior to the reunion, the group performed in many television shows like MBC's Infinite Challenge "Saturday, Saturday's: I Am a Singer Special" on December 27, 2014, on which they performed "My Childhood Dreams", "Twist King", "Love Is (3+3=0)" and "White Love". However, in this performance Kim Jung-nam is with Kim Jong-kook instead of Mikey. The group then performed again on January 25, 2015, one month after their last performance, on SBS's Inkigayo 800th episode special, performing "December" and "White Love". However, this time Mikey is performing with Kim Jong-kook instead of Kim Jung-nam.
In celebration of the group's 20th anniversary, all three previous members reunited for the first time in nearly 15 years in 2015. The group released their comeback album on December 21, featuring all three members. Their title song track "Again" features comedian Yoo Jae-suk, and the music video has many guest appearances, including Lee Kwang-soo and Cha Tae-hyun. On July 25, 2017, they released their first mini-album Turbo Splash, with "Hot Sugar" serving as the album's title track. They also appeared on many television variety shows like SBS's Running Man and KBS 2TV's Happy Together. Kim Jung-nam and Mikey also appeared on KBS 2TV's Hello Counselor.
Members
- Kim Jung-nam (김정남): 1995–1997, 2015–2017
- Kim Jong-kook (김종국): 1995–2001, 2015–2017
- Mikey (Jo Myung-ik) (마이키 (조명익)): 1997–2001, 2015–2017
Discography
=Studio albums=
=Compilation albums=
=EP=
=Remix albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! Title ! Album details |
| scope="row"|X-Mas Dance Party Mix with Turbo
|
|
|---|
| scope="row"|Turbo Summer Remix
|
|
| scope="row"|Millennium Turbo Dance Megamix
|
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Year ! colspan="1" scope="col" style="width:5em;" | Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Sales ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Album |
| KOR {{cite web|title=Gaon Digital Chart "터보" Search|url=http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/search/list.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&nationGbn=T&yyyy=2010&condition=2&search_str=%ED%84%B0%EB%B3%B4|access-date=September 23, 2020|website=Gaon Music Chart|language=ko}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |"My Childhood Dream" (나 어릴적 꿈)
| rowspan="2" | 1995 |15 | | rowspan="2" |280 km/h Speed |
| scope="row" |"Black Cat Nero" (검은 고양이 네로)
|94 | |
| scope="row" |"Love Is... (3+3=0)"
| rowspan="2" | 1996 |12 | | rowspan="2" |New Sensation |
| scope="row" |"Twist King"
|69 |
|
| scope="row" |"Forbidden Games" (금지된 장난)
| rowspan="2" | 1997 |— | | rowspan="2" |Born Again |
| scope="row" |"December" (회상)
|71 | |
| scope="row" |"X (The Greatest Love)"
| rowspan="2" | 1998 |— | | rowspan="2" |Perfect Love |
| scope="row" |"White Love" (스키장에서)
|34 | |
| scope="row" |"D.D.R"
| rowspan="2" | 2000 |— | | rowspan="2" |Email My Heart |
| scope="row" |"Cyber Love"
|— | |
| scope="row" |"Again" (다시) (feat. Yoo Jae-suk)
| rowspan="2" |2015 |1 |
| rowspan="2" |Again |
| scope="row" |"Hide and Seek" (숨바꼭질)
|16 | |
| scope="row" |"Hot Sugar" (뜨거운 설탕)
|2017 |— | |Turbo Splash |
| colspan="5" |{{Small|"—" denotes release did not chart. Note: The Gaon Music Chart was established in 2010.}} |
Awards and nominations
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result |
|---|
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:center" |1996
| {{center|Sports Seoul Music Award}} | rowspan="16"|Bonsang Award (Main Prize) | {{center|Turbo 2nd Album}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|SBS Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|KBS Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|MBC Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| rowspan="2"| {{center|Golden Disk Awards}}
| {{center|Turbo 2nd Album: Twist King}} | {{Won}} |
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center" | 1997
| {{center|Turbo 3rd Album: Goodbye Yesterday}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|SBS Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|KBS Music Award}}
| {{center|Turbo 3rd Album: Born Again}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|MBC Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 1998
| {{center|SBS Music Award}} | {{center|Turbo 4th Album: Perfect Love}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|KBS Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|MBC Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center" | 2000
| {{center|Golden Disk Awards}} | rowspan="2"|{{center|Turbo 5th Album: E-mail My Heart}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|SBS Music Award}}
| {{Won}} |
| {{center|KBS Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
| {{center|MBC Music Award}}
| {{NA}} | {{Won}} |
References
{{Reflist|35em}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Turbo (South Korean band)}}
{{Authority control}}